LIFE AFTER THE WEDDING (BELINA 2)

CHAPTER 4

The silence at home that evening was awkward. I could not understand anything. Try as I may, I could not get the phone call out of my mind. I had cancelled church for that day when I could not pull myself together. Richard also seemed very distant; I could not understand the reason for this or if I was just assuming things.

"Richard? Are you alright?" I asked after a while.

He nodded, saying he was ok but I was not convinced in the least. Richard is a quiet person but not that quiet, especially not when I am around. I swallowed and made for the bedroom. I can't tell him. It would be unfair and unreasonable. He does not deserve that. I would not do anything until I have strong reasons for doing it - I am sure I would find none. I lay on the bed feeling more miserable than ever before. Richard's silence this evening was not making things any easier. I felt burdened and even my physical weakness seemed to have doubled. My eyes suddenly became blurry and I closed my eyes tight.

I vibrated from shock when I felt someone touch me. I hadn't noticed Richard's entrance into the room. He looked at me with concern written all over him, placed his hand on my head and his frown deepened. "You are running a temperature" he exclaimed.

"It is just stress, I am fine" I said, trying to dismiss his worry.

He shook his head. "You are not fine. Sit up" he ordered. I obliged and within the twinkling of an eye, he transformed from a caring husband to a doctor. His eyes did the job of inspecting every inch of my body, feeling my temperature, checking my eyes and all other ceremonies doctors perform. I was getting tired of the scrutiny and I voiced my thoughts but he would have none of it. He finally concluded that I was being stressed up and I made the face of 'I told you so'. He said I was to do a proper check-up at the hospital, and then asked me to relax while he went to fix me a cup of tea.

He arrived with a cup of steaming hot beverage and a sachet of painkiller tablets, ranting my need for a house help. The house we live is a big one and the maintenance could be tasking at times but I did not see the need for a house help when my hands were functioning to capacity. Being at work every day of the week asides weekends and maintaining the house was his basis for argument but I was not overwhelmed because he always lent a helping hand whenever he was home. He pampered me, forcing the drugs down my throat with continuous encouragements. Looking at him as he did all these, I found it increasingly impossible to believe a word I heard from the anonymous girl. I found myself forgetting everything I heard and relaxing. I slept soundly that night to my amazement and I woke up the next morning earlier than usual.

I saw Richard sleeping peacefully too and spared few seconds to gaze at him. He looked gorgeous in his sleep and even when he was sleeping, I had to agree that his male arrogance and confidence was evident. I went to fix breakfast and came back to the room to prepare the bathtub for Richard. I wanted to make up for the doubt I had in him by doing something, anything, even though he did not know anything about it. Immediately I finished what I was doing, Richard's phone beeped signaling the entrance of a new message. I was surprised because it was just 6 am. The message alert did not seem to awaken Richard, so I picked up his phone. It might be MTN and their silly messages, I thought; the name I saw was far from it though.

The sender of the message was Oyinade. I could not believe my eyes. I checked the time again and it was as before. Everything I heard and every doubt I felt came rushing back in full force. I dropped the phone carefully and left the room in a hurry. My vision became blurred as tears filled my eyes, clouding my sight. Perhaps it is an urgent message, I told myself. I tried to assume the message was a coincidence but the conviction did not hold water.

"Honey"

I rotated and looked at Richard like I would a villain as he approached. I must pull myself together, I thought, righting myself and putting up a passive front. He did not seem to notice any of these though because he approached with a concerned face.